


Not Alone

by Lady_Nemesis



Category: Guardians (Russian film)
Genre: Gen, Mentor/Protégé, Superheroes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-07
Updated: 2020-01-07
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:21:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22153945
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Nemesis/pseuds/Lady_Nemesis
Summary: Help will come if it's needed.
Relationships: Ler/Young OFC





	Not Alone

**Author's Note:**

> If you haven't seen the Russian film, 'Guardians', this may not make sense. If you have, well, Ler sticks in my head.

Ler raced down the steep hillside as quickly as he could, wishing for a moment that he had Khan’s speed. He tried shouting to the slight figure that stood unwavering in the path of the turbulent wall of water but they didn’t seem to hear him. If something wasn’t done and soon, the entire valley and the nearby village would be devastated. 

By the time he reached the hooded figure, the water was so close that he couldn’t hear anything but the steady dull roar of it as it loomed over them. 

_“Wait. How is this happening?”_ he wondered to himself, realizing that the water wasn’t moving any closer. It was rising higher as if a great unseen wall blocked its way. The slight hooded figure stood before him, head tilted downward and both hands held in front of their body as if pushing the water away.

 _“If you are not here to help, you should run,”_ he suddenly heard a female voice say in his mind. 

“I am here to help,” he shouted over the water and the hooded figure nodded. Ler braced himself behind them and sent his energy into the ground, the rocks and stones splitting the earth as they shifted. A trench slowly appeared, growing ever deeper as the water began to tumble into it. 

As the water receded, Ler noticed that the hooded figure was trembling. He gently rested his hand on their shoulder and they half-turned to look at him, finally revealing their face. His eyes widened in shock at the sight of a girl no more than 15 with dove-gray eyes calmly looking back at him.

“The earth trusts you,” she murmured aloud, her melodically accented voice making him smile slightly. 

“And the waters consider you their friend,” he observed when he finally got his wits about him. 

She was about to say more but was interrupted by the helicopter that chose that moment to appear over the ridgeline. “I must go,” she told him and he gently caught her arm. 

“They will not harm you. None of us will,” he said softly and she gave him a searching look.

“I have trusted before and been betrayed,” she explained and he nodded in understanding. 

“Betrayal is hard to overcome but it can be done. If you come with me, you will be safe. I swear to you,” he told her and she frowned as she peered into his eyes. 

“I am Jirina,” she finally said, offering him a slight smile. 

“My name is Ler. It is a pleasure to meet you, Jirina. Now, we must go before the locals come to ask questions we cannot answer,” he suggested with a smile and, this time, she grinned.

“That’s a very good idea,” she answered and he held his hand out to her. She took it and they hurried further up the valley to where the helicopter had landed. 

He smiled slightly when he saw Xenia leaning out the door, eyes scanning the hillside. “Trust you to find another Guardian,” she observed with a smile and he noticed the confused look Jirina gave him. 

“Guardian? What is a Guardian?” she asked as Ler helped her into the helicopter. 

“People like us. We have very special abilities,” Khan said quietly, appearing from the shadows of the helicopter’s interior, a smile on his face. 

Jirina sat down on the short bench and Ler dropped down beside her. “I’ve never met anyone like me before. But I’ve heard stories,” she murmured and then whispered, “Guardian,” seeming to roll the word around on her tongue before she smiled. “I like the sound of that,” she said. 

“It suits you. But you took a great risk trying to stop the water alone, Jirina. A great risk,” he told her, keeping his voice gentle but firm. 

“I know but there is an orphanage at the edge of the village with too many children and not enough caregivers. If the water had gotten through…,” she answered, her words trailing off into a tired sigh. 

Xenia tapped her comm. “Arsus, check on the orphanage and see if there’s anything we can do,” she said briskly and smiled at Jirina. “I, for one, am glad you were there to hold it back until Ler could get to you.” 

Jirina looked shyly at Ler. “I am glad you were able to get there as fast as you did. I was getting tired,” she admitted and Ler gently hugged her with one arm. 

“I could tell,” was all he said, tensing for the tiniest moment as she let her head rest on his shoulder, her gray eyes closing. “Rest, little one,” he whispered, remembering for a few moments how his daughter would fall asleep against him. 

They were all silent the rest of the way back to base, no one wanting to wake the visibly exhausted girl. Once they landed, Ler lifted her into his arms, chuckling quietly when she clutched at his vest in her sleep. 

Arsus was waiting when he climbed out, his furrowed brow smoothing out when he saw the sleeping girl. “The major arranged quarters for her next to yours. She figured she’d feel safer with you nearby,” he said quietly and Ler nodded. 

“She does not trust easily though she seems to have some faith in me,” he agreed softly before turning away from the larger man and heading for the living quarters. 

He was sure that they all had questions for Jirina. He knew he did but he also knew that they could wait until the girl had a chance to get some decent rest. She deserved that much at least.


End file.
